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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708933">Stories of the Second Self: Windows to the Soul</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner'>John_Steiner</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alter Idem [149]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>National Guard - Fandom, Urban Fantasy - Fandom, lockdown - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708933</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Made into a veritable strapping buck of a Cernunnos Fae, Kevin Hughes nonetheless was discharged from the Ohio National Guard. After the chaos of Columbus, Ohio broke out, Kevin found himself moved from a refugee camp to a secure room for questioning by a federal agent. Kevin's combative replies put him at risk of extrajudicial detention, and coerces from the agent another discovery.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alter Idem [149]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stories of the Second Self: Windows to the Soul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright, take a seat there, Mr. Hughes," the federal officer directed.</p><p>I don't know why these government guys have me in an interrogation room. They don't call it that, but with a metal table and two chairs all bolted to the floor, and a single mirrored window facing what I know for a fact isn't outside, I'm inclined to go with interrogation room.</p><p>Which is funny, because I wasn't arrested so much as rescued. They drove me out of Columbus, Ohio, but I have no idea where they took me. I hadn't seen daylight since entering that large emergency response vehicle that the National Guard put me and other survivors into.</p><p>I took the seat furthest from the door, which I heard locked after this suited guy and I stepped inside. It's only mildly surprising that they hadn't cuffed me and secured those cuffs to an eye bolt I saw under the table.</p><p>"I'm Agent Reyes with the Department of Homeland Security," the interrogator... excuse me, interviewer said, as he also sat down and pulled out a folder. "You're probably wondering why we separated you from the other survivors."</p><p>"No, I'm pretty sure I know why," I replied, and pointed to my antlers. "It's because I'm a Fae."</p><p>"Cernnunos Fae, as I recall." Agent Reyes indicated with his finger the five-point antlers on Kevin Hughes' forehead.</p><p>"Yeah, that's what they say," I replied, not in a mood to cooperate.</p><p>"You know what's interesting in the Fae caste system," Agent Reyes said, "That on the lowest rung are the Luc Fae who appear to have the highest IQs. Above them are your caste who seem the most level-headed and worldly. Yet, the highest tier are Fae Elders, whose primary mental characteristic is neither of these."</p><p>"Kinda worked that way before, when everybody was human," I remarked, and shifted to lean back and fold my sizeable arms.</p><p>Expecting a 'touché' reply from Agent Reyes, instead the DHS officer looked down suddenly at his folder and flipped a page over. "Something else about your caste drew our attention are physical attributes," and finally Reyes returned his attention to me. "For instance, Cernnunos Fae tend to be twice as strong as the average human of the same gender. Your size alone isn't enough to explain that, and many Cernnunos end up handling social enforcement in Fae circles."</p><p>"Heard that too," I nodded.</p><p>"Is that why you were enlisting in the National Guard just months ahead of your traits being revealed?" Reyes asked rather pointedly.</p><p>"No," I drew out slowly.</p><p>"So enlighten me, Mr. Hughes," Reyes said, "Why did you?"</p><p>"Needed money for art school, and DJ'ing wasn't cutting it," I replied, "Last I checked, enlisting for less than patriotic reasons wasn't a crime. They discharged me halfway through AIT, because apparently being a Fae was the bigger offense."</p><p>"You know the reasons were more complicated than that," Reyes dismissed, and waved at another page of whatever profile someone provided him before this interview. "Hoofed feet and reduced heel bones weren't conducive to military footwear. You can't wear a helmet properly with antlers, nor correctly apply the M50 and M51 field masks. Some people even debate whether a Fae's commitment is compromised by different hormone levels."</p><p>"They didn't have problems working around werewolf body changes, I noticed. Look man," I held my hands out, "Just get on with whatever reason you kept me after letting the other survivors go."</p><p>"We know you were near Scioto Audubon Metro Park when the Gaia Cult seized it," Reyes at last got to the point, "and remained in your place of residence after their group took control of the surrounding city blocks. You weren't threatened by any of that?"</p><p>"There were worse problems to deal with," I stated flatly, "Particularly at night."</p><p>"Like?" Reyes asked, as though it weren't commonly known.</p><p>"Come on!" it was my turn to be dismissive with a tossing gesture at Agent Reyes. "Don't act like you don't know. The fuckin' nightcrawlers. The religious fundies, angels, and even the goddamn werewolves locked themselves indoors at sundown. Anyone who was a giant either got in with the Gaia Cult or booked it out of the city."</p><p>"The 37th Special Troop Battalion states in their evacuation report that they discovered you and several others outdoors," Reyes pointed out.</p><p>"We were trying to escape," I leaned forward and rested the elbows of my still-folded arms on the table. "Is that so hard to believe? A shitload of them were sweeping our neighborhood and started busting into people's homes."</p><p>"Tell me about that moment you and the other survivors reached that intersection," Reyes inquired, "You had a shotgun, didn't you?"</p><p>"Yeah, and a machete, bunch 'a kerosene, and a grill lighter," I listed off everything I remembered having scrapped together.</p><p>"So you organized the others to fight them off, correct?" Reyes wasn't asking, I could tell as he added, "You had to know the odds were against you."</p><p>"Hey, agent dude," I chinned up at Reyes, figuring it was time to turn the tables. "Suppose it's you? You're runnin' for your life, you come to an intersection and see a bunch of people down every street. It's all dark, 'cause power's out across the city, and none of these people surrounding you seem scared by that.</p><p>"What do you do, Agent Reyes?" I pressed quick enough to avoid him interrupting me. "When they get close enough that you see their eyes are black, empty, and cold. Do you freeze? Do you run?"</p><p>"You're sure they had you completely surrounded?" Reyes challenged.</p><p>"They see better in the dark than any of us," I reminded, "In fact they were really good at spotting people. Maybe it's heat vision or some shit, I don't know. Tell you what we figured out when they came for us. They don't tire, don't run out of breath, and if they catch you--, you're just caught. Strong as they are there's no breaking loose."</p><p>"There was in your case," Reyes suggested, having flipped a page over.</p><p>"That's where being a Cernnunos Fae paid off," I grinned.</p><p>"One of them had multiple lacerations on the forehead," Reyes recited from the report before him. "I take it that was your doing."</p><p>"Didn't fracture her skull, but--," I paused, the moment of that night coming alive in my mind, "but it hurt enough to give me time to try an illusion."</p><p>"After discharging four shells from your shotgun," Reyes clarified.</p><p>"Sure wasn't going to try reloading with the rest of them around us," I affirmed, "You wonder why I didn't run? Well, that's when we all ran, and kept running until a bunch of Strykers came at us from outside the city. That's also when I saw another vampire. Some dude in a white suit and flashy shoes."</p><p>"We're not discussion that individual," Reyes' tone turned cold and his face blank. "This interview is about you and your decisions."</p><p>"Figured as much." I made a face revealing my confirmed suspicions. "You ask me about ties to the Gaia Cult, and all the while you guys had a vampire scouting the place out. Is that why the Guard and federal troops waited before going in? People dying and you let another vampire loose before stepping up?"</p><p>"As stated, Mr. Hughes," Reyes reminded with a hard tone and stony expression. "That is not part of this discussion," and then Reyes closed the folder. "I think we'll have to keep you in the recovery camp a bit longer."</p><p>"Fuck that!" I shot up from the chair and stepped around the table ready to stab my finger into Agent Reyes' face.</p><p>Only Reyes moved faster. Despite being smaller than me, Agent Reyes had no trouble slamming my ass down onto the table and leaning over me. Reyes' irises enlarged and shifted to yellow as I watched.</p><p>"You're not the only one dealing with severe life changes, Mr. Hughes," Reyes growled out with a chest-reverberating baritone.</p><p>"Get your fuckin' hands off me, mongrel howler," I seethed, largely to hide the fact my body shook from fear.</p><p>"Next time try to be more upfront with me," Reyes counter-demanded, his voice returning to human norms, though still grating. "I know you're not part of the Gaia Cult, but I need you to say it so I can help you."</p><p>Reyes made a dramatic show of letting go of me and showing his hands up. However, I didn't feel the gesture to be terribly generous. After all, the man's eyes were still yellow and a gray fuzz framed Reyes' features before the animal hairs retreated back into his skin.</p><p>"We done here?" I demanded my face red from alarm and anger both.</p><p>"For now," Reyes iterated, "Yes."</p><p>Reyes knocked on the door while his shifting eyes remained locked onto me. Someone opened the door, and Reyes waved me through.</p>
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